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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 116 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  3. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  4. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  10. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  11. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  12. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  13. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  14. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  15. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  20. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  21. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  22. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  23. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  24. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  3. wake — a trail
  4. club — for golf
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. kid — to tease
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. bank — for money
  10. kid — child
  11. club — for dancing
  12. wound — an injury
  13. wake — before a funeral
  14. wound — an injury
  15. club — a group
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. bear — the animal
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. bear — the animal
  20. wound — past of 'wind'
  21. bank — for money
  22. bear — to put up with
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. wake — to stop sleeping

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com